Liquid product distributor



29, 1956 JEAN-CLAUDE ETTER ET L LIQUID PRODUCT DI S TRIBUTOR 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed May 26, 1965 Nov. 29, 1966 JEAN-CLAUDE ETTER ET AL 3,288,332

LIQUID PRODUCT DISTRIBUTOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 26, 1965 United States Patent i 3,288,332 LlQUID PRODUCT DISTRIBUTOR Jean-Claude Etter, Nyon, Bernard Meylan, Leysin- Feydey, and Edgar Christin, Grand-Saeonnex, Switzerland, assignors to Zyma S.A., Nyon, Switzerland, a corporation of Switzerland Filed May 26, 1965, Ser. No. 459,015 Claims priority, application Germany, May 27, 1964,

W 36,872; Switzerland, June 22, 1964, 8,135/64 1 Claim. (Cl. 22280) The present invention concerns a liquid product distributor, in particular liquid soap, comprising a support adapted to be secured to a wall and to support a container containing the said product.

Distributing apparatus already existing on the market generally comprises a reservoir in which one pours the liquid soap, this reservoir being closed by means of a simple lid. It has been found that these apparatus easily get dirty and thus require cleaning before each refilling, the liquid product not being sufiiciently protected against the impurities of the surrounding air. Further, their discharge device nearly always allows drops of liquid to fall after its use.

Moreover, the fixing of these known apparatus is rather complicated since it necessitates the use of mural pads or other supports.

The present invention aims at overcoming these disadvantages and the distributor which is the object thereof is characterized in that its support includes (a) a swinging element having a variable volume chamber for the liquid product issuing from a bottle, this chamber communicating, on the one hand, with an opening for the reception of the neck, and, on the other hand, with a nozzle for the ejection of the product, (b) a housing to receive the said bottle in an inverted position, (0) means for ensuring the emptying of the bottle without the liquid entering into contact with the atmospheric air and (d) means for discharging a definite volume of the product from the said chamber through the ejection nozzle.

The accompanying drawing shows, by way of example, one embodiment of the distributor of the present invention.

FIGURE 1 is a view in side elevation, in section.

FIGURE 2 is a view in front elevation, partly in section.

FIGURES 3 and 4 are sections of a detail on a larger scale of FIG. 1, in two different positions.

The liquid soap distributor shown, includes a support shown in a general manner at 1 adapted to be secured to a wall by means of two sucking-discs 2 and 3 each having a threaded rod 2 and 3 provided with a knurled head 2" and 3" adapted to be screwed so as to exert pressure on the sucking-disc and secure it to the support 1 after it has been flattened against the wall. A bottle 4 of plastic material containing the liquid soap is mounted on the support 1 which comprises a swinging element 5 having a variable volume chamber 6 for the liquid soap issuing from the bottle 4, this chamber 6 communicating, on the one hand, with a tapped opening 7 for the reception of the threaded neck 8 of the bottle and, on the other hand, with a nozzle for the ejection of the liquid shown in a general manner at 9. The bottle 4 is placed in an inverted position in a housing 19 of the support 1 and its bottom is pierced by a needle 11 for the admission of air integral with the support 1 and the head of which is provided with an air-filter 12.

A check-valve 13 is mounted in the element 5 between the chamber 6 and the opening 7 for the reception of the neck of the bottle 4, this valve preventing the liquid soap from rising from the chamber 6 into the bottle.

Patented Nov. 29, 1966 "ice The distributor described is moreover provided with means for discharging a definite volume of liquid soap from the chamber 6 through the ejection nozzle 9. These discharge means include a flezible diaphragm 14 held on a support 15 of general conical shape projecting into the chamber 6 and held in place by a wing nut 16. This support 15 has an axial duct 17 extending outwardly to receive the end of a tube 18 connected to a supply of air under pressure, for example a pneumatic pedal.

The ejection nozzle 9 shown in detail in FIG. 3 and 4 includes an outer socket 18 screwed into a housing made in the swinging element 5 and which in the position shown in FIG. 1 is masked by an extension 5' of this element 5. A sleeve 19 having a central outlet orifice 19' is slidably mounted in the socket 18 against the action of a spring 20 and a needle 21 integral with a perforated disc 22 is held in place by the outer socket 118 which presses it against the bottom of its housing. The inside of the sleeve 1% is in communication with the chamber 6 by a duct 23.

All the members constituting the distributor described (even the spring 20) are of plastic material which resists corrosion, for example, of a material sold under the trade mark Delrin.

The operation of the distributor described is the following:

In order to load the distributor, one uses a bottle of 30 cu. in. filled in the factory and hermetically sealed by capsuling. One opens this bottle and then one swings the element 5 into the position shown in dot and dash lines in such a way that the opening 7 is below thus permitting of screwing the neck 8 into this opening 7 with the bottle in the upright position. One then reverses the bottle 4 into the position shown in full lines in FIG. 1 by swinging the element 5 and one pierces the bottom of the bottle with the needle 11 by pushing the bottle against the latter. The liquid product then fiows by gravity into the chamber 6 and into the ejection nozzle 9 which is closed, the checkvalve 13 being open. One then applies air pressure behind the flexible diaphragm 14 through the agency of the duct 18 and of the conduit 17 which has for result to deform this diaphragm as shown in dot and dash lines and to drive back the liquid in excess out of the chamber 6 the volume of which has diminished. This excess of liquid passes through the ejection nozzle 9 the sleeve 19 of which slides relative to the needle 21 into the position shown in FIG. 4 under the influence of the thrust of the liquid which is greater than the strength of the spring 20 and a determined quantity of the product thus issues from the distributor. Simultaneously the checkvalve 13 is closed by the thrust of the liquid into the chamber 6.

The filtering cap 12 prevents any infectious element in suspension in the air from reaching the liquid product contained in the bottle 4.

In order to ensure the emptying of the bottle without the liquid entering into direct contact with atmospheric air, the neck of the bottle may be closed by a hermetical diaphragm which is pierced by a needle when the bottle is fitted in the opening for the reception of the swinging element 5, the bottle containing a propulsive gas.

The bottle could also be formed from a sheet of plastic material so as to be soft and capable of being emptied by crushing or by deformation under the action of the weight of the liquid it contains.

The distributor described has the advantage of being of simple construction, of only comprising members resistant to corrosion and easily dismounted to be changed or cleaned. It has no tendency to clog up and the liquid product is not spoiled due to the filter of the discharge device preventing air infiltration.

Moreover, the diaphragm 14 which is the only delicate element of the distributor may easily be replaced by unscrewing the wing nut 16 after having swung the element 5 into the position shown in dot and dash lines in FIG. 1.

What we claim is:

A liquid product distributor, in particular for liquid soap, comprising a support adapted to be secured to a wall and to support a container containing the said product, said support including a swinging element having a variable volume chamber for the liquid product issuing from a bottle, this chamber communicating, 0n the one hand, with an opening for the reception of the neck of the bottle and, on the other hand, with a nozzle for the ejection of the product, a housing to receive said bottle in an inverted position, means for ensuring'the emptying of the bottle without the liquid entering into direct contact with atmospheric air and means for discharging a definite volume of the product from the said chamber through the ejection nozzle, said support including a filtered air admission needle adapted to pierce the bottom of the bottle when the latter is in the inverted position.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,016,037 10/1935 Gruber 222493 2,093,942 9/1937 Stuff 222181 2,765,964 10/1956 Hanlon 222449 X 2,772,817 12/1956 Jauch 222450 X 2,781,954 2/1957 Bretz 222518 X 3,161,322 12/1964 Stone 2225 ROBERT B. REEVES, Primary Examiner.

N. L. STACK, Assistant Examiner. 

